Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes is Mexico’s new primate

Today Pope Francis appointed the Archbishop of Tlalnepantla to lead the archdiocese of the capital. A new era opens in the Mexican Church called to renew and update its answers, as recently affirmed by the nuncio Franco Coppola

Carlos Aguiar Retes

Leggi anche

Condividi

Scopri Top News

Pubblicato il
07/12/2017

Ultima modifica il 07/12/2017 alle ore 17:37

ANDRÉS BELTRAMO ÁLVAREZ

VATICAN CITY

Carlos Aguiar Retes is the new archbishop of Mexico City. Longstanding friend of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he will lead the destinies of one of the dioceses with the largest number of Catholic faithful throughout Latin America. His appointment, officialized today by the Vatican, opens a new era for the Church of the country. It concludes the long episcopate of Norberto Rivera Carrera, a pastor who had as many detractors as supporters. The Pope did not grant him an extension, as it happened for example to Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, emeritus of Guadalajara, to whom Benedict XVI gave another four years.

Rivera Carrera turned 75 years old on 6 June. On the same day, he presented the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of México city, as provided for by the Code of Canon Law. Soon there was talk of his leaving the scene, but the rumors had not found any solid ground. Exactly six months later, the Vatican announced the changeover in a press bulletin.

Aguiar Retes, bishop with wide-ranging perspectives and a fine diplomatic personality, was born on 9 January 1950 in Tepic. As a child, he aspired to religious life. He studied philosophy in the seminary of his diocese and theology, first in Montezuma (USA) and then in Tula (Mexico). He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Tepic on 22 April 1973, He subsequently obtained a licentiate in sacred scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome. Between 1978 and 1991 he served as parish vicar, rector of the seminary of Tepic and simultaneously president of the Organization of Mexican Seminaries. In 1997 John Paul II appointed him bishop of Texcoco, a diocese located in the State of Mexico.

He has held various positions in CELAM (Latin American Episcopal Council): secretary general from 2000 to 2003 succeeding to another Mexican prelate, Felipe Arizmendi; first vice-president from 2003 to 2007 and finally president from 2011 to 2015.

He alternated these ministries with other roles held within the EMC: Secretary General (2004-2006), President with two mandates (2007-2009 and 2009-2012). In 2007, Benedict XVI appointed him as a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and in 2009 as Archbishop of Tlalnepantla. In the last years of Joseph Ratzinger’s pontificate, however, his “star” seemed to have blurred.

As President of the Episcopal Conference, he faced the severe challenge of the constitutional reform on religious freedom. The difference in positions with the then archbishop of Guadalajara, Sandoval Iñiguez, conditioned his (then real) chances of becoming his successor in 2011. Something similar happened with the Archdiocese of Monterrey, whose leadership was changed on 3 October 2012. Aguiar Retes was considered a strong candidate, but the Pope finally appointed Rogelio Cabrera López.

Things changed with the election of Pope Francis. Both shared the work of CELAM, in 2007, when the General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate took place in Aparecida. The Mexican prelate was vice-president of the body, while Jorge Mario Bergoglio, then archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected president of the Commission for drafting the final document.

Thus, on 19 November 2016, Francis created Aguiar Retes cardinal during an ordinary public Consistory, preferring him to the Archbishop of Monterrey, historical cardinal seat. On the same day, before the ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope called him aside to greet him by simply saying, “It is for all that you did in the Church”. Soon after he integrated him into the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Today’s appointment therefore closes the long chapter of the government of Norberto Rivera Carrera in the Church of Mexico City. Born on June 6, 1942 in the state of Durango, the cardinal, on November 5,1985, was elected bishop of Tehuacán, becoming archbishop of the primate a decade later. In January 1998, John Paul II created him cardinal.

Member of various bodies of the Roman Curia, including the Congregation for the Clergy and for Divine Worship, his figure has generated heated controversy several times. In particular, he received very harsh criticism, not only for his friendship with entrepreneurs and men of power, but also for his public closeness to the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, found guilty of sexual abuse against children along with numerous other crimes. In 2006, when the Vatican publicly condemned Marcial Maciel Degollado, Rivera chose not to speak.

He was subsequently charged (also charged with criminal charges) for the mismanagement of cases of sexual abuse of minors. At the same time Rivera has always counted on a fringe of fervent supporters among the clergy of his archdiocese, who have always defended him from accusations and reports.

His exit definitely marks the end of a Mexican Church divided by a “geometry” between the so-called “club of Rome” and the “club of Geneva”. The caricature of an ecclesiastical separation proper to the 1990s. Today’s challenge is therefore to fully adhere to the renewal outlined by Francis’ pontificate.

A few days ago, during his visit to Torreón, the apostolic nuncio Franco Coppola warned, “To speak or point one’s finger against those who behave badly is to forget the fruit of what we have done or not done. The Church here in Mexico has been lagging behind and has continued to give valid answers for the last century, without realizing that time has meanwhile gone on.”

Words similar to those pronounced by Pope Francis in his historical speech to the Mexican bishops in the cathedral of Mexico City, during the trip of February 2016 Observing your faces, the Mexican people have the right to witness the signs of those “who have seen the Lord”, of those who have been with God. This is essential. Therefore, do not lose time or energy in secondary things, in gossip or intrigue, in conceited schemes of careerism, in empty plans for superiority, in unproductive groups that seek benefits or common interests. Do not allow yourselves to be dragged into gossip and slander. Introduce your priests into a correct understanding of sacred ministry. For us ministers of God it is enough to have the grace to “drink the cup of the Lord”, the gift of protecting that portion of the heritage which has been entrusted to us, though we may be unskilled administrators. Let us allow the Father to assign the place he has prepared for us. Can we really be concerned with affairs that are not the Father’s? Away from the “Father’s affairs” we lose our identity and, through our own fault, empty his grace of meaning.”